The Courier News from Blytheville, Arkansas · Page 1

BLYTHEVILLE COURIER NEWS THE DOMINANT NEWSPAPER OF NORTHEAST ARKANSAS AND SOUTHEAST MISSOURI VOL. L^-NO. 26 Biythevfile Daily News BLYTHEVILLE, ARKANSAS, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 21. 1954 TWELVE PAGES E^e P fsunday y SINGLE COPY FIVE CENTS Hensel Claims McCarthy Lied Senator Fires New Charges Against Top Defense Official WASHINGTON (AP) — The swirling McCarthy-Army row has been broadened, on the eve of the long-heralded public hearings, to include a top defense official and accuse him of trying to head off an investigation for misconduct. %• J£ # The latest cnarge fired by Sen. McCarthy was that Asst. Secre- Sec. Wilson Defends His Assistant Says Military Morale Hurt By Controversy WASHINGTON (AP) — Secretary of Defense Wilson, speaking on the eve of Senate hearings and with new charges swirling about one of his aides, said today the Army-McCarthy row has "done no good" to military morale. Personally, the defense chief told a news conference, he feels that "in these critical times men of good will ought to get together to solve these problems" confronting the nation. Wilson said he believes H. Struve Hensel, asst. secretary of defense, is "a completely honest man." Sen. McCarthy (R-Wis) brought Hensel's name into the row yesterday when he filed a "bill of particulars" with the Senate Investigations subcommittee outlining the things he will seek to prove in the televised public hearing set to open at 10:30 a.m. tomorrow. Added Personnel Problem McCarthy contended that concern that he was about to expose "misconduct" and "possibly law violations" by Hensel led Army officials to attempt to discredit him. Wilson said: "I think Struve Hensel is a competent, honest man. If I didn't believe so he wouldn't be on his present assignment." As to the general effects of the whole row, Wilson said thai it not only had done no good to military morale. It has also, he commented, added to his problems in his efforts X) "get some fine, capable men to come down here ... at personal sacrifice. I don't think it's going to help." Six Dog Bite Cases in Two Days Reported Six cases of dog bites have been reported to the Mississippi County E : a!th Unit in the pa:t two clays, hv r ~-r>fr the total for this year to I :5 * ° .j _ - U 11 AAtlAQtJ. O AiCi-iilw vv n.0 ii*jv.v^w^v* -***i/v 22 cases, according to Mrs. Annabell thg casg yesterday in McCarthy's tary of Defense H. Struve Hensel joined with Secretary of the Army Robert T. Stevens and Army Counselor John G. Adams in trying to "discredit" the Senate investigations subcommittee McCarthy heads. Hensel, a government official for much of the time since 1941. was named to his present post by President Eisenhower and confirmed by the Senate without objection on Feb. 19. "Bare-Faced Lies" "Bare-faced lies," he shot back to a statement by McCarthy saying that he was seeking to dodge investigation "for misconduct and possibly for law violations." He accused the senator of an "attempted smear ... a diversionary move." Hensel also challenged McCarthy to repeat his accusations in some forum where he would not have the immunity which covered the formal statement to the subcommittee. If McCarthy does that. Hensel said, "I will guarantee a law suit." McCarthy, in Houston, Tex., for a speech late* today, said, "J wouldn't cooperate in any delay like that," and he added: "Hensel knows it would take years to do this in a trial. We will be under oath when the committee hears this case and the witnesses will be under oath. He can call any witnesses he wants to. "After that's over ... I can see no reason why I shouldn't repeat this stuff ... If at some future time he still wants a lawsuit — and I don't think he will — I see no reason why not have one." Profits Claimed The McCarthy statement said his investigators have established that Hensel drew at least 856,526 in three World War II years from a private ship supply firm operating with government priorities. Hensel was then a high Navy official. Hensel replied: "The allegations that there has been anything illegal or even unethical in my financial or governmental history is both malicious and dishonest . . . Sen. McCarthy knew he was lying ..." Against this background, the investigations subcommittee agreed en rules for its hearings on the controversy and announced they will start on schedule tomorrow morning. Coverage is planned by major television networks. McCarthy previously had turned over the subcommittee chairmanship for the inquiry to Sen. Mundt (R-SD). Under an agreement reached yesterday, he will be replaced temporarily as a member by Sen. Dworshak (R-Idaho). The rules adopted by the subcommittee, however, will permit McCarthy and Army representatives to -engage in direct cross-examination of witnesses. McCarthy had strongly urged this procedure. Mundt said the Army will present its side of the dispute first. Charges Issued Hensers name was injected into ll. Struve Hensel Here Are Stars Of Big Fight By G. MILTON KELLY WASHINGTON ( A P ) — Here is a quick rundown on the Senate investigation of the McCarthy - Army row which will open at televised hearings here tomorrow — who and what it's all about: The principals — Sen. Joseph R. McCarthy (R- Wis): He goes before the Senate investigations subcommittee, stepping aside .as its member and chairman, while it searches for the truth among the bitter charges McCarthy and top Army officials have exchanged. The Wisconsin senator has made his name known around the globe through his controversial investigations, most of them centering around alleged communism . . . First \von national attention in 1950, charging there were Reds in the State Department. A onetime boxing instructor, McCarthy at 45 is a powerful man who keeps in training A for- Pill, county healt".; nurse All but one of the cases were in E ;-theville, she said. These cases 5. 000-word "bill of particulars" replying to Army charges that he had two of his aides tried by "mi- do net represent rabies cases, she j pr0 per means" to win preferential but all dog bites. It is un- j treatment known how many received rabies j schlne. a treatment. Four of the cases were i consultant. for Pvt. G. David former subcommittee reported to the health unit yesterday. No reports of peopLe being bitten by dogs were made to the City Po- police have been lice although called several times to check on stray dogs, Chief John Foster said. One of the dogs was taken to Dr. N. G. Jerome, veterinarian, for observation, by Mrs. Norman Stone, 2400 Kenwood Drive. Dr. Jerome said the pup showed sign of having rabies, but his condition could not be definitely established until it died and the head was examined in Little Rock. Stronger Movie Censors Seen NEW YORK (ft — A motion picture spokesmen says there are indications that "we are going to see various attempts" to strengthen censorship laws. "Censors die hard," said the spokesman for the Motion Picture Association of America. "Knock one out in one place, and there's usually a new one getting started somewhere else." The association says the number of communities with censorship systems has varied between 30 and 50 in recent years, and now is near the high mark with boards in six states and 55 municipalities pissing McCarthy, submitting the statement for himself and the two aides under attack, Roy M. Cohn, the subcommittee's chief counsel, and Francis Carr. its staff director, said Hensel wanted to discredit the subcommittee because he himself was under investigation. McCarthy pictured Hensel as exercising "influence and guidance" in the preparation of the Army report attacking him and his aides while himself under investigation by the subcommittee . Hensel, who was me Defense Department's general counsel until his recent appointment as assistant secretary, said McCarthy's references to him "reached the high mark of scandalous malice and the low mark to cowardly irresponsibility." It's Army vs. McCarthy On TV, Radio Tomorrow NEW YORK I/P) — The complete public hearings of the McCarthy- Army feud will be televised by three major networks, ABC, NBC and DuMont. telecast but will offer twice-a-day summaries and interviews on its news programs at 6 a. m. and 10:30 p. m. (CST). The Mutual network does not plan any television *?e of f.h^ h^nvines which mer Marine, has a usually mild voice sometimes in odd contrast to a fighting scowl. Once a Democrat, he switched parties, became a county judge in Wisconsin, and won election and re-election to the Senate in 1946 and 1952. He has headed the investigations subcommittee and its parent, the Government Operations Committee, since January 1953. McCarthy was married last summer to Miss Jean Kerr, a former member of his office staff. Secretary of the Army Robert T. Stevens: A textile industry executive who lived and mo\'ed in the world 'of business until his appointment as Army secretary and subsequent events tossed him into Washington's hottest controversy in years. Grey-haired, bespectacled, conservative of dress, quiet in speech, Stevens is the picture of a manufacturer and board chairman in big business. He took office soon after President Eisenhower nominated him at the outset of the administration ... 54 years old, father of five children . . . Family home in Raritan Township near South Plainfield, N.J. He served in World War I as a second lieutenant of artillery, in World War II as a lieutenant colonel and colonel in the procurement division of the Army's Quartermaster Corps in Washington. Stevens has tangled several See McCARTHY-ARMY on Page 7 High School Bond To Attend State Festival at Spa The Blytheville High School Band will leave tomorrow morning for Hot Springs where it will participate in the annual State Band Festival Thursday through Saturday. Two buses will take the 85 band members and 15 parents to the festival. The BHS Band will perform tomorrow night and again Friday afternoon and night. The majorettes will perform Friday. The bands do not participate on a competitive basis, but are criticized and rateu by judges as to the ability of each group. For majorettes, ensembles and soloists, however, the performances will be competitive. Bands are judged according to concert playing, sight-reading ability. and marching The BHS band recently attended the district festival at Searcy, where it received a top rating, About 80 bands totaling between Sen. Joseph McCarthy Roy M. CohM John G. Adams G. David Schinc AsLan.MilLtcLryAllian.ee WASHINGTON (AP) — Senators Wiley (R-Wis) and Ferguson iR-Mich) said today any failure of the Geneva conference to bring agreements on Korea and Indochina may hasten American efforts to build an anti-Communist military alliance in the Pacific. Last CMA Concert To Be Sunday Final concert in the Civic Music Association series will be Sunday at 2:30 p.m. in Blytheville High School auditorium where pianist Robert McDowell will be heard. Though young, Mr. McDowell is a veteran of the concert stage and ha* appeared with Chicago's Grant Park symphony. Only persons holding Civic Music Association membership. 1 " and their o.OOO snrl fi.OOO student are pched-1 out of town guru's are eligible to ! Wiley, who heads the Senate For: eign Relations Committee, and I Ferguson, chairman of the GOP i Policy Committee, said in separ- ; ate interviews they see little pros- poet of either uniting Korea or ' bringing peace to Indochina at the I Geneva meeting. i But each said he expects Secre- itiiry of State Dulles—off to Paris j for a north Atlantic Treaty Organization meeting before the Swtzerland conference begins—to press U.S. allies for commitments to a new Pacific coalition pledged to "united action." When he left here last night, Dulles said in a statement he will j seek an honorable peace in Indochina and a free, united Korea. But he said recent "reckless assaults" by the Reds in Indochina are "not a good prelude." Dulles was reported to have emphasized to congressional leaders of both parties at a conference yesterday that one of hi.s chief hopes is to effect a Far Eastern alliance to offset the threat of all- out Chinese Communist participation in the Indochina war. Little Hope Seen Ferguson, one of the conferees, said he doubts that much will be accomplished in attempts to agree with Russia and representatives of Red China at Geneva. "If this conference fails to bring an agreement, I don't see how our friends of the free world can help but see the need for a Pacific alliance," he said. Wiley said that while he is somewhat more optimistic about possible results at Geneva, he also feels that failure there would stimulate action toward an "NATO of the Pacific." Sen. Jenner CR-Ind) told the Senate yesterday that the United States ought not to link itself in Asia only, with military "weak sisters" and with "European colonial powers." Jenner said that "we must not permit a single American to become engaged in fiehtinp on the continent, of Asia" until both the . . . Once Pitcher's League, National Is Now Hit-Happy . . . Encouraged by Recent Showing, BIytheville's Papoose Track Chinese Nationalists and the South j Team Looks to District Meet . . . US Begins 'Airlift' To Indochina PARIS (.IV-The U.S. Air Force is ferrying French paratroopers to Indochina for later dropping into Dien Bien Phu. This was confirmed today here and in Washington. Charles Wilson, U.S. secretary of defense, said the 8,500-mile operation "is in line with present United States policy and in conformity with our existing military assistance program." He added it was undertaken at the request of the French government. The parachute troops are being flown from France to Indochina in C124 Globemasters. The Douglas planes belong to the Air Force Tactical Command. They will return to home bases in the United States, the Air Force said. The troops are to be landed in non-combat areas. Planes piloted by French airmen or American civilians will shuttle them to the besieged fortress -of Dien Bien Phu in northwest Indochina. Rains were upsetting air operations there today. The troops—number unspecified but believed to total at least 1.000— were flown from Paris' big Orly Airfield yesterday. At last word, they had not yet reached Indochina. Inside Today's Courier News Koreans are given a chance to pin down Chinese Communists in their area. Dulles is reported to have said at yesterday's conference in response to questions by Sen. Knowland of California, the GOP floor leader, that while the two countries had not been among the 10 invited to join in an alliance, that would not necessarily their later entrance. preclude Sports . . . Pa/res 8 and 9 ... . . . Major Objective of 40- Day-Old Sietffi at Dien Bien Phu Is Political, Not Military . . . Battle for Indochina: One of a Series . . . Parre 10 ... . . . Sinister Is Sinister Word to Hurl at Political Rival . . . Editorials . . . Patre 6 ... . . . Osceola News and Feature . . . Page 2 ... Polio Vaccine Shots To Begin Next Week Many of Mississippi County's second-graders are to begin receiving Salk polio vaccine inoculations sometime next week, county director Elbert Johnson said today. Already on hand are 450 syringes and more than 7,000 needles which will be used to administer the vaccine. They have been sent the County Health Unit, here by the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis, sponsors of the test. amount of vaccine needed for the county can't be determined until the survey of parents has been completed. Curtis Candy Co. has donated Date Set as Council Passes Ordinance On Revenue Bonds Blytheville voters will approve or reject the proposed solution to the city's sewer problem at a special election to be held May 18. Date for this election was set last night by the City Council when it passed an ordinance calling for an $850.000 revenue bond ordinance to finance construction of a "backbone" sewer system here. Although ordinances setting sew- often went dry. cr charges and calling, for this Their plans would need further bond issue have been passed by the Council, these ordinances require that both matters be referred ,to the voters, who thus will make the final decision. The schedule of proposed rates is included in the bond ordinance, so voters actually will have just the one over-all proposal to vote on. The ballot will contain the title of the ordinance and will involve only marking boxes labeled "For 1 ' and "Against" the ordinance. This ordinance provides for issuance of 30-year, callable revenue bonds which would be retired with income from operation of the system. The sewer charges—$1,80 a month for most homes and churches and ranging from $4 to $20 for commercial and industrial users—would provide this income. Total estimated cost of a citywide sewer system is $1.021,000 and the $850.000 involved in the bond ordinance would be for construction of a "backbone" sewer system in the central part of the city. This system would provide trunk lines, force mains, lift stations and a treatment plant to serve the entire city. Northern and southern areas of the city which do not now have sewers would join this basic system by forming improvement districts to finance installation of lateral lines in those section. All Voters Will Decide All qualified voters, regardless of the section of the city in which they live, will vote on the revenue bond proposal since this "backbone" system, will serve all the city. Residents of the improvement districts would pay the sewer charge plus whatever improvement taxes resulted from forming the districts. Petitions are now being circulated in these areas and plans are to have the districts formed by the date of the special election. This is in accordance with a resolution adopted by the City Council which requires that the districts be formed before any of the revenue bonds are sold. This stand was taken in an effort to have all sewer construction work study, Mr. Simon and Mr. Phillips admitted, since they did not have all the necessary engineering data on hand. Mr. Mehlburger said it would be hard to estimate accurately the costs of such plans just by looking at the maps submitted. He added, See ELECTION on Pa^e 14 2.000 lollipops, county headquarters . . spokesmen said today. Each child Just what sort of response the i w m get a sucker along with his \ carrying an estimated cost of $1,- costs. Belore passing the bond ordinance last night, the Council heard Farris Simon, BLytheville businessman, and Wendell Phillips, an architect, explain a sewer plan they had drawn up, It was their contention that the present sower plan, drawn up by Max Mehlburger, Little Rock engineer, did not provide sufficiently for growth of the city. Their plan involved a larger loop of trunk lines and called for piping the sewage into the Mississippi River. They roughly estimated the cost of such a system at $800,000. Chamber of Commerce Manager Worth Holder pointed out, however, that a Black and Veatch survey made when a textile plant was contemplating locating here showed that it would cost an added $300,000 to lay a pipeUne to the river. Mr. Mehlburger, who made a similar survey for the city recently on the river disposal idea, said this showed the same thing. Mr. Simon and Mr. Phillips also submitted an alternate plan calling for two treatment plants and Bids on New Metal Plant To Be Asked Monday Likely Date If Fund Goal Reached Chamber of Commerce has been instructed to seek for bids on a building for a steel fabricating and processing plant Monday and will do so if the current $150,000 industrial drive is successfully concluded. Chamber finance committee members met in a nearly two-hour session this morning to hear from Earl Thomas, industrial committee head, the news that plans and specifications will arrive in Blytheville on Monday. The company, Mr. Thomas told the group, has "instructed us to ask for bids Monday and to be ready to let contracts one week from Monday. But of course, we cant' do that unless the building is financially secure." Finance Committee Chairman Russell Phillips said the total on the drive now stands at $104,650 which has been given by some 311 contributors. "It is of obvious importance that completion this week," Mr. Phillips said. In other action, the group voted to publish a list of investors and the amount of their investment in the building. This. Mr. Phillips stated, is to be done sometime next week. Monday will be the deadline on solicitations, he said. county's parents .ire going to. make in regard to the test is still a matter of conjecture. The parents must give their written consent to the tests in order for their children to participate. Only a few of the authorizations have been received. However, parents have been requested to take quick action on the requests as the shot. Forfeit Speeding Bonds Pete Baxter and Jackson Caddies both forfeited $10 bonds this morning- in Municipal Court on charges of speeding. 000,000. These treatment plants would have been located both west and east of the city. Mr. Mehlbur- ger said, however, that the Arkansas Health Department had opposed a treatment plant east of the city because the drainage ditch there that would carry off the effluent was inadequate in size and City to Crack Down on Loudspeaker Systems on the'public 1 ! entertainment. |start tomorrow in Washington. uled to attend the state event. j attend U* concerts. Juke box music, baseball game broadcasts and the auctioneer's spiel will have to move back indoors if a city ordinance is enforced as ordered by the City Council last night. The Council voted to go on record as instructing Police Chief John Foster to enfore a city ordinance that prohibits use of radios or loudspeaker system to "pipe" music or other sound outside of business buildings. All such recorded or broadcast music or other sound must be kept within the building where it originates, according to this ordinance. It also covers outdoor use of loudspeaker systems by auctioneers. However, churches, which have chime* or bell* are not included. Mayor E. R. Jackson asked the Council to go on record as favor- •'nc; rr.'orcencnt of this orclinfuve. Many complaint* have been re-1 ceived about use of such loudspeaker systems, he said. Eye Malaria Program The Council last night also voted to turn over to the mayor and Health Committee a plan whereby the city would carry out its own malaria control program this year. Malaria control work has been discontinued by the state. Mayor Jackson said the state estimated the spray program — which has been conducted here each year—would cost about $4.100, but that he thought it could be done at less cost. A truck and spray equipment would have to be acquired by the city, he said. In other action l«*t night, the Council- Passed an ordinance making Tenth Street a through street from Chick.asHwba Avenue to the County T -Y'"Mlal rr*. ordered stop signs to be installed *t all interactions. Passed the revised natural gas installation ordinance introduced last month. This ordinance revises in many technical aspects the gas ordinance passed when the fuel first became available here. Okay* Asphalt Machine vVent on record favoring purchase by the city of an asphalt machine for street work. Set May 11 as date for a hearing on closing North 20th Street, a 120- foot long dead-end street running north from Main and unused as a street for about 20 years. Attorney W. S. Rader submitted a petition for a hearing on behalf of Mr. and Mrs. C. R .Orsburn, the only residents on North 20th. Passed an ordinance changing the name of Homestead Street to Holland. Homestead is actually the last block on Holland. Went on record as commending the many persons who have helped the city in its work on the sewer problem. Uranium Search Said Planned Near Hot Springs LITTLE ROCK Wl—A Little Rock newspaper said today it has learned that the Atomic Energy Commission will begin prospecting for uranium deposits near Hot Springs next month. The Arkansas Democrat said it was told of the search by a source at the state Capitol who declined use of his name. In the published article, the newspaper said an airplane would be used in prospecting for uranium, which is necessary to the production of atomic energy. It said that equipment similar to a Geiger counter will be suspended beneath an airplane to pick up radio-active impulses from the area covered. The sections of land showing possible deposits of uranium then will be mapped for a ground search. Weather ARKANSAS—Partly cloudy, scattered thunderstorms tonight and in northwest this afternoon: cooler west and north tonight; Thursday partly cloudy and cooler, scattered thundershowers southeast. MISSOURI — Cloudy this afternoon with showers and scattered thunderstorms south and extreme east; cooler north and west-central; cloudy and clearing north tonight with thundershowers extreme south. Maximum yesterday—83. Minimum this morning—58. Sunset today—«:37. Sunrise tomorrow—5:20. Mean temperature (midway b*tw«n high and low—70.5. Precipitation laat 34 bouri «• 7:0i a.m. today—non^. reclpltatlon Jan. 1 to «at*~-16.3). This Date Last Tear Maximum yesterday—60. Minimum yesterday—35. PreclplUtloa Jaauary i It 4»t*— '